Process for the concentration of ore.



J. T. TERRY, 1H.

PROCESS FOR THE CONCENTRATION OF ORE. I

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24. 1917.

1,254 FY38 Patented Jan. 22, 1918.

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JCSEPH T. TERRY, JR., 0F MASCOT, TENNESSEE.

PROCESS FOR THE CONCENTRATION OF ORE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 22, 1918-.

Application filed Harch 24, 1917. Serial No. 157,188.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH T. TERRY, Jr., a citizen of the'United States of America, residing at Mascot, in the county of o x, State of Tennessee, have invented certaln new and useful Improvements in Processes.

for the Concentration of Ore, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates primarily to processes of extracting and recovering the metallic elements of finely crushed ore by means of the combined action of certain chemicals and novel mechanical devices, and has for its prime object..the simplification of existing methods for the separation ofmetallic sul fids, as for example the sulfids of zinc, lead,

copper and metallic copper, or any combination thereof, from iron sulfids and gangue, and the attainment of an unusually high percentage of metal recovery. j

A further object of the invention is to afford a process so economical and eflicacious as to render profitable the treatment ofores of low grade and peculiar composltron which have heretofore been practically neglected as a source of supply.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon consideration of the following portions of the specification and the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, the figure is a sectional elevation depicting thepreferred apparatus evolved by me for carrying out the process. I

Referring to said figure, 1 denotes a common type of ball-mill in which the rough ore collected from hopper 2 by scoop 3 is finely crushed in the presence of water and shall hereinafter be termed the pulp. Being ejected from funnel 4 the pulp is conducted by a launder 5 to the top of pipe 6 and thence successively into stationary air-tight drums 7 and 8 which are closed above, con-- nected by pipes 9 and 10, and contain paddles 11 and 12 fixed upon revolving shafts 13 and 14 driven by means of pulleys 15 and belts 16.

Disposed above pipes 6 and 10 are small tanks 17 and 18 provided with depending spouts 19 and20 discharging into said pipes.)

Passing from drum 8 the pulp is conveyed by pipe 21 to a cylindrical chamber 22 which communicates with a tube 23 extending upward and rebent over the edge of a spitzkasten24, the latter being provided with a battle-plate 25 disposed opposite the mouthofsaid tube and a drain 26.

Projecting within chamber 22 is a pressure-fluid supply-pipe 27 which is inclosed and serves to support a closely wound helical spring 28 terminating'in a solid cap 29,

and it will-be appreciated that air or other gas being forced through pipe 27 will escape through the interstices of said spring and thus be thoroughly disseminated throughout the mixture present in said chamber.

Having thus pointed out the construction and function of the preferred form of apparatus, as illustrated, the process involved maybe described as follows Tank 17 have ing been filledwith a solution of ammonia hydroxid or with a solution containing or capable of liberating ammonia, such a 'ammoniacal liquor by-product'in the manufacture of illuminating gas, and tank 18 with a suitable oleaginous modifying reagent, such as pine oil or a solution of metallic oleates resulting from the combination and saponification of metallic oxids and salts with hydrocarbons of the olefin series, as for exam ple aluminum alts combined with olefin oils of mineral origin, the mill 1 is then set in motion and the pulp flowing into pipe 6 is there mingled with the ammoniacal solution discharged from spout 19. Reaching the interior of drum 7 the mixture is thoroughl agitated and the ingredients thereof intimately' combined by the action of paddle 11-,

flowing thence through pipes 9 and 10 into drum 8, together with the oil or other modifying reagent supplied by tank 18, where it is subjected to a further vigorous agitation through the agency of paddle 12 and the ingredients thus more perfectly combined.

From drum 8 the mixture is next conveyed by pipe 21 to chamber 22 and passing upward therein is thoroughly aerated by means of the gas forced from. pipe 27 present in the pulp aforesaid, and one of the most important features of this process resides in my discovery that ammoniain solu' tion has the eflect of oxidizing the iron sul-. fids s'ufiiciently. to destroy the affinity which would otherwise exist between such sulfids and the oil or other modifiying reagent employed, and being a solvent for the oxids of lead, zinc and copperit has the efi'ect of cleansing theirsulfid particles and thus decidedly increases their aflinity for said reagent: the resultv being that the particles of iron and gangue gravitate to the bottom of the spitzkasten and the percentage of valuitllslltil metals recoveredis rendered unusually A further important feature of this process lies in the fact, above "stated, that drums 7 and 8 are'air-tight, for I have discovered that a greater recovery of metallic ulfids is attained by mixing the pulp and the'modifying reagents in a vessel from which air or other gas is excluded, as it has been deter-" mined that the presence of the latter during the operation in question serves to obstruct that intimate combination of the ore particles with the reagents which is sought to be 1 achieved and upon which the success of this or any similar process must largely depend.

It should further be observed that I have found it advantageous to treat-the crushed ore,- preferably while in the mill, with a solution of calcium hydroxid and sodium thiosulfate, as the lime neutralizes such acid or acid salts as may be present in the ore, while the alkaline thiosulfate cleanses the metallic sulfids by dissolving oxids and other soluble metallic constituents, and thus.

permits the use of less ammonia than would otherwise be necessary in the process.

Finally it should be noted that I do not I intend to restrict this invention to the introduction of ammonia in advance of the introduction of the oil or other modifying reagent employed, but may add such a reagent simultaneously and in combination with the ammonia in the form of an emulsion or soap.

Having thus fully described the process and the preferred means for carrying it out, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is a l. The method of recovering the valuable elements of complex sulfid ore containing iron sulfids, which comprises the treatment of crushed ore with an ammoniacal solution, thereby altering the iron sulfids to render the same substantially immune to flotation,

and creating in the mixture uprising bubbles carrying the metallic values.

2. The method of recovering the valuable elements of complex sulfid ore containing iron sulfids, which comprises the treatment of crushed ore with an ammoniacal solution and a frothing agent, thereby, altering the an ammoniacal solution, thereby altering the iron sulfids to render the same substantially immune to flotation, and creating in the mixture uprising bubbles carrying .'the-.metallicwalues. i i I 4. The method of recovering the valuable elements of complex sulfid ore containing ironsulfids, which comprises the treatment of crushed ore with a solution of; sodium thiosulfate and: an ammoniacal solution,

4 thereby alteringthe iron sulfids to render the same substantially immune to flotation, and creating in the mixture uprising bubbles carrying the metallic values.

, 5. The method of recovering the valuable elements of complex sulfid ore containing iron sulfids, which comprises the treatment of crushed ore with a solution of lime, an

ammoniacal solution and a frothing agent, there-by altering the iron sulfids to render the same substantially immune to flotation,

and creating inthe mixture uprising bubbles carrying the metallic values.

6. The method of recovering the valuable elements of complex sulfid ore containing iron sulfids, which comprises the treatment of crushed ore with a solution of sodium thiosulfate, an ammoniacal solution, and a frothing agent, thereby altering the iron sulfids to render the same substantially immune to flotation, and creating in the mix "ture uprlsing bubbles carrying the metallic values.

7. The method of recovering the valuable elements of complex sulfid ore containing iron sulfids, which comprises the treatment of crushed ore with a solution of lime and sodiumthiosulfate, and an ammoniacal solution, thereby altering the iron sulfids to render'the same substantially immune to flotation, and creating in the mixture uprising 9; The methodof recovering the valuable I elements of complex sulfid ore containing.

iron sulfids, which comprises the treatment of crushed OIB'WllZll an ammoniacal solution,

thereby altering the iron sulfids to render ing iron-sulfids, which comprises the treat-.

- ment of crushed ore with a' solution of sothe same substantially immune to flotation, and subsequently creating in the mixture uprising bubbles carrying the metallic values.

' 10. The method of recovering the valuable elements of complex sulfid ore containing iron sulfids, which comprises the treatment of crushed ore with an ammoniacal solution and a frothing agent, thereby altering the iron sulfids to render the same substantially immune to flotation, and subse uently creating in the mixture uprising bub les carrying the metallic values. 11. The method of recovering the valuable elements of complex sulfid ore containing iron'sulfids, which comprises the treatment of crushed ore with'a solution of lime and an ammoniacal solution, thereby altering the iron sulfids to render the same substantially immune to flotation, and subsequently creating in the mixture uprising bubbles carry? ing the metallic values.

12. The method of recovering the valuable elements of complex sulfid ore containing iron sulfids, which comprises the treatment of crushed ore with a solution of sodium thiosulfate and an ammoniacal solution, thereby altering the iron sulfids to render the same substantially immune to flotation, and subsequently creating in the mixture uprising bubbles carrying the metallic values.

13. The method of recovering the valuable elements of complex sulfid ore containing iron sulfids, which comprises the treatment of crushed ore with a solution of lime, an ammoniacal solution, and a frothing agent, thereby altering the iron sulfids to render the same substantially immune to" flotation, and subsequently creating in the mixture uprising bubbles carrying the metallic values.

14. The method of recovering the valuable elements of complex sulfid ore containdium thiosulfate, an ammoniacal solution, and a frothing agent, thereby altering the iron sulfids to render the same substantially immune to flotation, and subsequently creating in the mixture uprising bubbles carry-- ing the metallic values. I a

15. The method of recovering the valuable elements of .complex sulfid ore containing iron sulfids, which comprises the treatment of crushed ore with a solution of lime and sodium thiosulfate, and an ammoniacal solution, thereby altering the iron sulfids to render the same substantially immune to flotation, and subsequently creating in the mixture uprising bubbles carrying the metallic values.

16. The method of recovering the valu able elements of complex sulfid ore containing iron sulfids, which comprises the treatment of crushed ore with a solution of lime and sodium thiosulfate, a frothing agent,

and an ammoniacal solution, thereby altering the iron sulfids to render the same substantially immune to flotation, and subsequently creating in the mixture uprising bubbles carrying the metallic'values.

17. The method of recovering the valuable elements of complex sulfid ore containing iron sulfids, which comprises the treatment of crushed ore with an ammoniacal solution, thereby altering the iron sulfids to render the same substantially immune to flotation, agitating the mixture substantially out of contact with air, and subsequently creating in the mixture uprising bubbles carrying the metallic values.

18. The method of recovering the valuable elements of complex sulfid ore contain-' ing iron sulfids, which comprises the treatment of crushed ore with a solution of-lime and an ammoniacal solution, thereby altering the iron sulfids to render the same substantially immune to flotation, agitating the mixture substantially out of contact with air, and subsequently creating in the mixture uprising bubbles carrying the metallic values.

20. The method of recovering the valuable elements ofcomplex sulfid ore containing iron sulfids, which comprises the treatment of crushed ore with a solution of sodium thiosulfate and an ammoniacal solu tion, thereby altering the iron sulfids to render the same substantially immune to flotation, agitating the mixture ;substantially outof contact with air, and subsequently creating in the mixture uprising bubbles carrying the metallic values.

21. The method of recovering the valuable elements of complex sulfid ore containing iron sulfids, which comprises the treatment of crushed ore with a solution of lime, an ammoniacal solution, and a frothing agent, thereby altering the iron sulfids to render the same substantially immune to flotation, agitating ,the mixture substan tially out of contact with air, and subsequently creating in the mixture uprlsmg bubbles carrying the metallic values.

22. The. method of recovering the valuable elements of complex sulfid ore containing iron sulfids, which comprises the treatment of crushed ore with a solution of sodium thiosulfate, an ammoniacal solution,

- and a frothing agent, thereby altering the iron sulfids to render the same substantially immune to flotation, agitating the mixture substantially out of contact with air, and subsequently creating, in the mixture uprising bubbles. carrying the metallic values.

23. The method of-recovering the valuable elements of complex sulfid. ore containing iron sulfids, which comprises the treatmentof crushed ore with 'a solution of line and sodium thiosulfate, and an ammoniacal solution, thereby altering the iron sulfids totaining iron sulfids, which comprises the treatment of crushed ore With a solution of lime and sodium thiosulfate, a frothing agent, and an ammoniacal solution, thereby altering the iron sulfiols to render the same substantially immune to flotation, agitating the mixture substantially out of contact with air, and subsequently creating in the mixture uprising bubbles carrving the me.-

tallic values.

J OSEPH T. TERRY, J3.

Witnesses:

HARRY. L. LAWSON, M. R. Banao v. 

